


I Want Your Everything, As Long As It’s Free

by OriginalCeenote



Series: Be My Guest [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bucky Makes Questionable Life Choices, Clint/Bucky - Freeform, Demon AU, Demon Clint, Demon Clint is Still a Train Wreck, I rarely write this pairing but I dig it, Literally Netflix and Chill, Lonely Bucky, M/M, Mild Angst, No Sex, Snark, Tumblr Prompt, Witchcraft, crackfic, netflix, snuggling and cuddling, summoning spells, winterhawk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-20 20:44:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14901656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OriginalCeenote/pseuds/OriginalCeenote
Summary: The wraith stood in Bucky’s living room, looking befuddled. “Who do you need me to kill?”Bucky’s jaw set itself at a mulish angle. “Dude.Nobody.I just…” He plowed dexterous fingers through his long, unkempt brown hair. “I wantedcompany, all right?”





	I Want Your Everything, As Long As It’s Free

**Author's Note:**

> Taken from a Tumblr suggestion floating around, “Summoning a demon just for a cuddle session is valid.”

The last time Bucky had ever gone through a Web ring for search results was during middle school, when he’d been looking for Angel and Buffy fanfiction. The magic Web directories were old school in format and took forever to download. It also took Bucky another eternity to find a magic site that wasn’t about Magic the game. He scrolled and clicked his way through endless lists of blogs that seemed to be about herbs and ritual cleansing, until he found one dedicated to summoning.

“Oh. Okay, here we go.”

Bucky set down his takeout carton of lukewarm noodles and clicked on the link. The screen illuminated his blue eyes as they widened in surprise.

“Here goes nothing.”

*

The woman at the farmer’s market stall gave him a knowing look when he filled up the plastic bag with two pounds of black salt. Bucky added some sage and a couple of candles to his order, casually telling her, “These smell really nice.”

“They make your space more welcoming for houseguests,” she told him. 

“Yeah,” he murmured. “I’m kinda expecting some.”

 

One, anyway.

 

Bucky perused the rest of the stalls, walking along and breathing in the myriad smells, watching a balloon vendor bending them into animals. Passing the couples holding hands as they shopped for avocados and organic strawberries. Ignoring the golden sunshine and the lacy patterns of shadow fanning out over the asphalt. Feeling numb. Empty. He went through the motions for the rest of the day. He performed endless reps in the gym’s weight room, resenting the man in the smudged mirror. The grilled chicken and vegetables tasted like dust in his mouth. 

 

*

The night finally came when he felt ready to throw caution out the window and just get it done. Bucky spent the afternoon cleaning his apartment, throwing out the smelly garbage and actually picking up all the dirty clothes around his living room and bathroom so his whole apartment no longer resembled a laundry hamper. When he was finished, the whole space smelled like Pine-Sol. He added the scent of sage minutes later, lighting it and using it cleanse the space of malignant spirits. Bucky secretly wished it would cleanse it of his next door neighbor who had an unfortunate taste for Taylor Swift and fried fish. Bucky locked his windows and doors, wanting to close off any escape routes, just on the off chance that his houseguest ended up being hostile. Bucky huffed a laugh.

“Could turn back any time, Barnes, ya dumbass.” He shook his head and opened up the back of black salt. Slowly, painstakingly, he walked around the space he cleared on his living room carpet and shook it out in a long, even stream, forming the summoning circle. Bucky whispered the incantation slowly, barely audible, just in case his neighbor was listening in (Mind your own damned business, Clarence.) His gut clenched and his heart fluttered. Bucky felt his palms sweat, but he finished the circle, feeling a strange energy rising from it. Not… malevolent. It just made him tingle. Bucky felt hyper-aware that he had opened a channel in the room. The hairs on his arms rose as they would with the knowledge that someone was watching him. Assessing him.

Bucky lit the candles and continued the incantation. He reached back and undid his ponytail, letting his hair shake loose, and with a small pair of scissors (a pair Nat gave him from her nursing kit that she used to snip sutures), Bucky clipped a lock of hair from just above his nape and dropped the small wave into the small bowl. Then, he pricked his palm - his last favorite step of the spell - and let three drops of blood fall into the bowl with it, before lighting them on fire. The odor of burning hair made his stomach lurch, but the spell reached its fruition with the blood offering. It began to smoke, and its essence slowly filled the room, spiraling in an eerie blume around the ceiling.

“Uh…” Bucky gaped at the phenomenon and backed up from the circle. “Crap.” The hairs on his arms still refused to lay back down, and as if that wasn’t weird enough, the center of the circle began to _glow_. The room shuddered, and the candles flickered as a breeze swept through the room, despite the locked windows, and Bucky knew at that moment that he was in deep shit. “CRAP!” he yelped. Bucky considered hiding back in his bedroom, or bolting out of his apartment, but that left the problem of letting whatever was about to show up in his apartment out into his building, and he couldn’t live with himself if someone ended up getting hurt because of his own poor choices. The room continued to fill with eldritch smoke, popping and sparking, and the glowing light shifted from blazing white to a glacial blue, then to a stunning shade of purple - purple! - before the pocket of space on the floor widened. A shape slowly took form, rising up through the carpet. A low, howling sound pierced the silence, throwing chills down Bucky’s spine. He felt sick with fear, rooted to the spot. Hiding wouldn’t stop this. Whatever this thing was, it could _tear him apart_.

Unless he plead his case. Reasoned with it. Put everything on the table.

 

...demons didn’t mind a bargain. Right? It wasn’t like Bucky was asking for anything out of the box. World domination? Nah. Good looks and charm? On good days, he had those. Good days were unfortunately far and between, lately. Riches? Bucky just wanted to be able to afford rent, keep his lights on, and occasionally buy a bottle of chocolate milk that he didn’t have to mix himself. 

It was big. Taller than Bucky, broad throughout its shoulders and chest. The room grew stuffy and hot, and Bucky began to cough, fanning away the faint odor of brimstone. “Phew…”

The howling stopped, and the thing flexed its body, stretching and groaning. Its back was to Bucky. It flicked its long, spiked tail, making the myriad, needle-sharp spines along its length shiver.

Bucky nearly fainted. Terror made his heart pound, and his skin felt clammy, and jelly replaced the joints in his knees. He trembled and fought to find the words to offer his guest that would _convince it not to tear him in half_. He watched the creature glancing around in confusion, taking in its surroundings. Oddly, Bucky felt relieved that he’d cleaned up. The creature sniffered the air. Scratched its scaled head. “Huh. Okay.”

 

 _It spoke English_.

“Uh. Hey.” Bucky’s voice sounded strained and high-pitched. “Welcome to, uh. My apartment.”

The creature spun around at the sound of his voice. “Holy FUCK. Don’t DO that! Don’t just sneak up on a guy! You almost gave me a heart attack!”

Irritation made the thing’s eyes glow yellow with irritation and narrow them, making the slitted pupils dilate. It palmed its chest and huffed out a harsh breath. Bucky stepped back again, holding out his hands in a universally understood gesture of _Don’t go all aggro and kill me._

“It’s… it’s okay. All right? I’m sorry. I’m so, SO sorry if I startled you. Um, this wasn’t how I wanted this to go. I-I-I w-won’t hurt you, I swear. Just… hear me out. Okay?”

“Dude.” The creature held out a quelling hand. Not a balled fist. “Calm down, for pete’s sake.”

It was so unsettling to hear those casual words. So off-the-cuff and strangely nonthreatening.

“Easier said than done,” Bucky muttered. “I’m about to pee my pants.”

“Hey, no harm, no foul. I won’t judge you, man. I swear… well. Maybe I don’t _swear_. Because, y’know.” He made a vague gesture at his own body. “Demon, and all. We leave that whole swearing thing up to you mortals. If one of my kind ever makes you a promise, put on your running shoes, pal.” He barked a laugh. “Might almost wanna do that, anyway.”

Bucky’s stomach lurched again, and he paled.

“Whoa. Don’t panic. Kidding. I’m _kidding._ But, anyhoo. Let’s get down to business.”

“Business?” That didn’t slow Bucky’s heartbeat at all.

“Well, yeah.” The creature shrugged and stepped out of the summoning circle. “It’s dark in here. I know that spell probably called for candles and all, but do ya mind turning on a light?”

“Oh. Uh. Sure.” Bucky continued to fight the urge to flee, and he dutifully went to the other side of the room and flicked on his lamp with its three-way bulb, only turning it one click. He got the impression that bright light might hurt the creature’s eyes.

“Oh, hey. That’s better. Wow. You’re cute. Not everybody who summons me is as cute as you.”

The edge of Bucky’s fear receded for a moment. “Thanks…?”

“I’m not shitting you. You are. You’re totally cute. Do you have dimples when you smile?”

“Kinda, I guess…”

“Well, show ‘em to me.”

Bucky’s brows drew together, and the thing’s tail flicked back and forth again, knocking over one of the extinguished candles. Bucky held out his hands in an appeasing gesture and gave him a watery, nervous smile.

“Aw, you do! Dimples! I called it.” It smiled with rows of sharp teeth. “Wow. Bet your whole face just lights up when you’re happy, doesn’t it?”

“S-sure.”

The thing cocked its head and sighed. “Right. Business.” It cracked its knuckles. “You lose a bet?”

“What?”

“A bet? Is someone after you?”

“No.”

“No jealous ex-lover? The mob? The cops?”

“No, no. I’m not a criminal.”

“Well, you summoned me for a reason,” the thing reminded him. “I know it wasn’t for a tea party.” He glanced around Bucky’s apartment again. “Unless there really is tea?”

“No. No tea… well, actually, I have some chamomile for when I can’t sleep, but it doesn’t help much. I like chai better for the taste.”

“Chai? Is it good?”

“Oh. Yeah. It’s good. It’s really good. Has a lot of cinnamon in it.”

“Can’t go wrong with that. Sometimes, some of those younger, hipster kids summon me with cinnamon candles. They just use whatever they bring home from the Partylite catalog, y’know?”

Bucky nodded, even though he had no clue.

“But, yeah. Anyway.” The wraith stood in Bucky’s living room, looking befuddled. “Who do you need me to kill?”

Bucky’s jaw set itself at a mulish angle. “Dude. _Nobody._ I just…” He plowed dexterous fingers through his long, unkempt brown hair. “I wanted _company_ , all right?”

“Company?”

Bucky tugged on his hair and turned away from the creature, heaving a sigh. His eyes burned and he felt a lump in his throat. “I don’t expect you to understand this. I don’t just do this kind of thing every day, okay?”

“Yeah. I kinda figured you didn’t. I mean, just looking at this place, I don’t see any big plans for vengeance or spite. That’s a cool painting, by the way.” He nodded his horned head toward a large work hanging over Bucky’s couch.

“My old roommate painted that before he shipped out.”

“Yeah? Well, it’s nice. I can read him when I look at it. Guy has a pure heart. That’s rare in this fucked up world of yours, y’know that?”

“Yeah. He really did.”

The creature’s shoulders relaxed, and bit by bit, Bucky’s own tension began to dwindle.

“So. You don’t need anyone murdered.”

“No. I swear, I don’t.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to swear anything to me yet.”

That put Bucky on full alert again. _Crap_.

“You committed to the spell with blood,” the thing reminded him.

“Yeah, I know that.”

“Okay. That always comes with a price. We’ll get to that, but the thing is, pal, you haven’t even told me why you brought me here.”

“Company,” Bucky told him. His eyes were still sparking, and he folded his arms around his middle, suddenly feeling very small. “I was lonely. No one… no one listens to me, and I just feel alone even when I’m in a crowded room, and I just don’t fit anywhere, and, I…” 

He had to turn away. Bucky bowed his head and rubbed his eyes. His breath came out in a loud sniffle.

“Awwwww, no! Really? You mean… this is you being _lonely_?”

Bucky nodded, still overwhelmed.

“Well, _fuck_.”

“And you’re a demon. And I know this sounds lame, but I was fucking desperate. I just can’t relate to anyone anymore, and I just needed the contact, but that’s not something I can just put into words, y’know?”

“Gotta use your words, man. Honestly.” The creature sighed, and Bucky felt it closing in on him.

“You’re not gonna hurt me, right?”

“What? No! No, no. That’s… that’s not something I do unless you make a pact with me and you break it. You made a pact, more or less, with the blood. But, let’s talk more about what you want. I think I can guess, but it’s better if you tell me. That’s how this works.”

“Right. ‘Course it does. Okay. Here goes.” Bucky laughed, and it was self-deprecating. “I needed to be held.”

“Held? Like… to be cuddled?”

“Yeah.” The tears dripped down Bucky’s cheeks, running off of his jaw.

“Wow. This is unusual, even for me, pal. Hey, I just realized, I don’t even know your name.”

“James. I mean, I hate it, but that’s me.”

“Nothing wrong with James. I mean, you don’t _look_ like a James, but it’s not the worst name in the world.”

“I go by Bucky around my friends.”

The creature chuckled. “Bucky? Seriously? Did you have buck teeth as a kid?”

Bucky felt a wave of annoyance. “No. My teeth were fine! It’s because of my middle name, Buchanan.”

“Okay. That’s kinda ridiculous. But… yeah. I can work with Bucky. I’d be totally down with cuddling a Bucky.” The thing’s voice sounded thoughtful and amused. “I wouldn’t mind that at all.”

“I mean, if it’s not too much trouble-”

“Okay. Work with me, here, Buck. Please. Turn around. Look at me.”

Bucky obeyed, feeling ashamed of his disheveled appearance and the desperation he knew the creature had to see in his eyes. 

Did those strange, glowing yellow eyes soften. “Awww. Hey. It’s all right. Hey, I just had a thought.”

“What?”

“Is this okay?” He gestured to himself. “This might be a little offputting.”

“Oh. It’s no big deal. Maybe, though, could you be a little less scaly? And, pointy?”

“Okay. I can work with that.”

And in a twinkling, Bucky watched the scales flatten and smooth themselves, the horns sink down into the creatures brow, and the tail disappear. The rows of razor-sharp teeth and killer talons shrank back, and the creature’s massive size diminished, until he was Bucky’s height. His dark flesh slowly lightened to a healthy, lightly tanned pink.

“This is what you mortals like, right?”

Bucky’s mouth dropped open.

 _Holy FUCK_.

He was naked and _stunning_.

“You don’t mind blonds, I hope?” he asked when Bucky didn’t reply. “I mean, I could change it up, if you prefer a brunet, or a redhead?”

“No, no! It’s… it’s fine. You look fine.”

He looked like a Burberry model. Piercing, light blue eyes crinkled as he smiled with straight, evenly spaced white teeth. He clapped his hands, rubbing them together. “Right. Where do you wanna do this?” That gesture dragged Bucky’s attention to his arms, with biceps corded with muscle.

“This might be easier if you had some clothes. I mean, I don’t mind this, but it’s kinda distracting.”

Because if there was one thing Bucky refused to admit to it, after already admitting that he summoned a demon for _company_ , it was that the creature was unbelievably hot, and that Bucky was prepared to bargain everything away in a minute if this guy didn’t put on some _pants._ And granted, he was a _demon._ But Bucky didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. After all.  
He’d invited him over.

“Aw, that’s nice. I wouldn’t mind putting on a little something, if you have anything. You humans get a little self-conscious, don’t you?”

“Um. Yeah. Yeah, we do. I do, anyway. Just… wow.”

The creature bit the corner of his well-shaped bottom lip. “You’re digging this form, I take it?”

“It’s really nice.”

“Okay. Noted. I’ll take those pants, now, dude.”

Bucky about-faced and beelined to his room, yanking open his drawers and rummaging for a pair of boxers. Moments later, he returned with a soft, purple t-shirt, the boxers, and a pair of drawstring board shorts.

“S’not bad.”

“I didn’t know your size, so.”

“About the same as yours. That was kinda the point. Figured I could go bigger, at first, when you mentioned cuddling. But maybe you find this a little less intimidating? Am I getting warm?”

“Right on the nose.”

His guest grinned at him, nodding as he hopped into the boxers. “Good.” He turned away from Bucky, showing him that ass, round, high, tight and tempting, and Bucky had to turn away himself. _Fuck._ His skin felt too tight around his scalp, and so did his jeans. Bucky felt a hot, deep flush work its way up his neck and all the way into his hairline.

So. This was how it started. Damnation. All because he had _needs._ A dark mood overtook Bucky, and his breathing grew uneven.

“Hey, by the way, I guess I better tell you my name.”

“We skipped that?” Bucky chanced turning around again, and the creature looked comfortable in the slightly baggy clothes, hair rumpled from pulling on the shirt. He even had a cowlick that stuck up at his crown. It was adorable.

“Yeah, we kinda did, Buck-O.”

“Well, lay it on me. What is it?”

“Clentehalzebub.”

“Wow.” Bucky laughed nervously. “That just rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?”

“Okay. _Bucky_.” He folded those beefy arms again, and of course Bucky glanced down at them again. “Can’t handle it?”

“I’m gonna tell you right now that I’ll fuck it up. And that’s not fair to you. Hey… can I call you Clint?”

Clentehalzebub’s sandy brows drew together for a moment, but then he grinned fit to crack his face. “That’s not bad! I could go by Clint. That kind of works, doesn’t it?”

By the time they got the introductions out of the way, the scent of brimstone had cleared, and the smoke dissipated enough that the room was only slightly hazy. “Got a preference on location?”

Bucky grew shy. “I was thinking, maybe the couch?”

“That’s a location,” Clint confirmed. “Is that real leather?”

“Nope. I don’t have a leather budget. My mom calls it ‘naugahyde.’”

“How many naugas died for that couch?”

Bucky snickered. A bubble of hysteria pushed itself up into his chest. They both moved toward the couch at the same time, and then Bucky hesitated. This was what he wanted, but now he was afraid to reach out for it.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he offered.

“Pal, that’s my line.”

Because of course it was.

“Let’s settle in. Hey, do you get Netflix on that thing?”

“You. You watch Netflix?”

“Yeah. Gotta get my _Daredevil_ fix.”

“You’re shitting me.”  
“No! I love that show, Buck!” Clint settled the question of who would sit first, plunking himself down and patting the space beside him. Bucky grabbed the remote and clicked on the set, easing himself down beside Clint. His hand didn’t know whether to stay on his own lap or to give in to the urge to touch him.

Clint answered that question for him, too. He lightly knocked his knee into Bucky’s and smirked at him. “You’re too far away.”

Bucky eased himself closer, until they were shoulder to shoulder.

“Okay. That’s almost in the ballpark, sweetheart.”

Bucky knew he looked like hell, bloodshot eyes and all.

“Hey.” Clint was staring at him, head cocked.

“What?”

“Your eyes have… all these different shades in them. All depends on what light you’re in, right?”

Steve had always said that. Bucky felt open and a little vulnerable when Clint mentioned it, now. Like he didn’t deserve that praise. Bucky’s eyes jerked themselves down to his hands, now folded in his lap.

“Was that wrong? Was me telling you that wrong, Bucky? M’sorry.”

“No. No, it was okay. It’s just. It’s been a while since anyone noticed. I don’t. I don’t mind. You saying that. I guess.”

“Okay. I can tell we need to work on this. C’mere.”

“Huh.” Clint twisted himself slightly and reached for him, and Bucky felt that strong, beefy arm - God, he was so _warm_ \- loop itself around his shoulders and tug him close. And like that, Bucky’s entire body relaxed. A long, slow breath shuddered out of his chest. “Oh.”

“Just let go.”

“I don’t want to put too much on-”

“Yeah. You do. That’s what I’m here for, buddy.”

Bucky’s arm was pressed between them, and slowly, he let his elbow creep over onto Clint’s thigh, tapered and just as muscular and appealing as the rest of him, and something about Clint worked its way into Bucky’s system. His scent was male, and surprisingly human-smelling. There was also a savory quality to it. Familiar. Almost like comfort food…

“Pizza,” Bucky muttered. “Why do you smell like pizza?”

“Dunno,” Clint told him innocently.

“Did you eat pizza before you came here?”

“Well, maybe not _right before._ ”

“Where were you before I summoned you?”

Clint rolled his eyes, and his sigh was long suffering. “Are you gonna grill me about that?”

“Maybe a little.” 

Clint’s huff of laughter vibrated through his body, and he adjusted his grip on Bucky, making him ease even closer, until Bucky’s head tipped onto his shoulder. “Maybe I stopped at Guido’s while I was in transit. I was just chilling out in the void after that. And then I heard you.” Clint reached for the remote and skimmed through Bucky’s Netflix queue. He turned on the show, and they watched the familiar credit sequence with its brooding, red backdrop. Bucky felt a strange, languid peace steal through his body. Clint was warm and solid, and his breathing was slow and even. His misgivings lingered beneath the surface of this new calm, but Bucky focused on the arm wrapped around him and the sound of Clint’s voice. It was a rusty-sounding baritone, with a faint New Jersey accent.

“Sometimes, I wonder why they make you sympathize with Kingpin so much. It’s like he’s the real star of the show,” Clint remarked.

“You always root for the bad guy?” Bucky accused. His sass began to rise to the surface, now that the initial shock of what he had done had begun to fade.

“C’mon! It’s hard not to, with this guy.”

“Okay. You’re edgy. Just admit it.”

Clint barked a laugh and gave Bucky’s shoulders a little shake. “Says the guy who has the hipster hair and the stubble.”

“Don’t make fun of my hair,” Bucky mumbled. 

“Awwww, I wasn’t! Not really.” But Bucky heard the smirk in his voice. “You’re like a walking Pantene ad.”

Bucky dissolved into snickers, and after a moment, Clint joined him.

He’d regret this in the morning, or for however long Clint spared him. But that lonely, needy little voice in his head, quieter than it had been in weeks, murmured to him, _Worth it._


End file.
